Use This Checklist to Increase Your Happiness

It is possible to be happier. On-going research in the area of Positive Psychology is helping to identify thinking and behavior patterns of happy people.

You may be surprised to see what daily choices happy people make. Use the following checklist to discover what you are currently doing and what you might want to add to increase your sense of well-being. Happy people do as many of the following things as possible:

Set aside time for family and friends, nurturing and enjoying those relationships

Feel comfortable expressing gratitude for what they have

Freely offer to help coworkers or strangers

Practice optimism when they think of the future

Try to live in the present and savor pleasures

Exercise regularly

Are committed to lifelong goals and ambitions

Are resilient during challenging times

You do not have to do everything listed on the checklist to increase your level of happiness. Begin by using this checklist to establish what is working for you now.

Then, to reap the rewards of feeling happier, think of your strengths and your values or what is important to you. Chose one or two strategies that will allow you to use some of your top strengths and live your values. You can always add more strategies at a later time.

Which one or two strategies might you choose to add to your daily life? It may take some effort at first. Make sure you have people around you that support the choices you are making. This might be your partner, a friend, or a coach. Soon you will be enjoying the benefits.

Founder, Maurine Patten

Maurine helps upper-level professionals transform their Encore Years into the most rewarding, meaningful and joy-filled time of their life. As an agent of change, she loves guiding them in putting together the 4 pieces of the Retirement Puzzle so they can tap into their dreams and make informed decisions which lead to a fulfilling life. Click Here to Read More...